I know I’m not alone when I say I feel guilty going to fast food restaurants. The calories, sugar, fat, and sodium in fast food is enough to make you cringe. The only part that’s more cringeworthy than the nutrition is the amount of waste produced.

Think about it. After eating at a fast food restaurant, we throw away burger wrappers, fry containers, straws, lids, cups, napkins, sauce packets and containers, paper placemats, and more, depending on the restaurant. Fortunately, some businesses are taking a closer look at this problem.

I visited Nuburger for the first time today for lunch, and was impressed and completely won over by their business model.

During our meal, my boyfriend and I didn’t produce any landfill. Nuburger’s carbonated drinks come in recyclable glass bottles, and they compost everything from their food scraps to their napkins and burger skewers.

We ate inside the restaurant, but according to Nuburger’s Facebook page, their take-out containers are made from environmentally friendly materials that come from local producers.

Eliminating landfill isn’t the only way Nuburger reduces their environmental impact. All the beef, chicken, and cheese used in the restaurant come from Manitoba farmers, which reduces transportation emissions and supports local businesses. They also use Manitoban produce when it’s in-season.

Unfortunately for my out-of-town readers, Nuburger currently only has one location, at 472 Stradbrook Avenue, in Winnipeg. With such a successful and inspiring business model, I sincerely hope that other restaurants take a page out of Nuburger’s book.

Nuburger is in the process of opening their second location in the Kenaston Crossing area! I’m so excited, because it’s a little closer to where I live, and I absolutely adore everything about Nuburger.